Tom Selleck is a TV titan, having starred in everything from Magnum, P.I. to Blue Bloods, and now joining an untitled upcoming Apple TV comedy led by Elizabeth Banks and also starring Ted Danson, Rob Delaney, Katey Sagal, Jared Goldstein and Spencer Moss.
Yet despite decades on screens, the star prefers to live a quiet life out of the spotlight on his sprawling 63-acre California ranch that he purchased 1988 with his wife, Jillie Mack.
The pair bought the home for approximately $5 million, almost four decades ago, and have made it their sanctuary away from the hustle and bustle of Hollywood ever since.
© Online USA Inc.Famous history
Tom bought the estate in 1988; it was once owned by well-known Hollywood car dealer Fletcher Jones, who bought it from Rat Pack star Dean Martin.
The property is in Ventura County, an hour north of Los Angeles in Hidden Valley, an equestrian ranch community.
© Ron Galella"It’s the best place to raise a child," Jillie told AARP in 2015, praising Tom's "wisdom" to buy out of the city. "He knew he needed to buy back his anonymity, to replenish the soul," she shared.
"This ranch is a great counterpoint to the acting business, which is an abstraction. You do something, it’s up on a piece of film, and everybody argues whether it is good or bad. You dig a hole and plant an oak tree—and I’ve probably planted a thousand of them—it’s real. It’s there, and you can watch it grow. It’s a lot different from being famous, and it keeps me sane," Tom added.
Avocado farm
© Getty ImagesLarge parts of the property are made up of avocado trees, which were a fruitful business for many years. Tragically, the avocados almost died off completely in recent years due to devastating drought, which also killed at least 25 of the 100-year-old oak trees on the ranch.
"That just breaks your heart…But with the rain we've had, the sick ones are getting better, and they're all sprouting a lot of healthy growth," he shared in 2024, revealing they still get a "little harvest" every year.
© Getty ImagesAside from avocados, the father of two loves to plant wildflowers whenever he can. "I've planted them for years, and they bloom in cycles," he told People magazine.
"When it's coldest, one of them blooms and then another one comes in. I know it sounds stupid, but I just watch them grow."
Hunting lodge
Tom also enjoys spending time in his restored 1910 hunting lodge nestled near the main home, and it was the place for a Selleck family Christmas ritual for years.
"We had a ritual at the ranch for years," he told Parade. "It’s an old hunting lodge that was built in 1910. All the Selleck family, my brothers and sisters, my mom and dad, we’d all open presents in the lodge and then go over to the house and have dinner."
© Getty ImagesAn outdoorsman
The veteran actor loves to get out in the sun to work. "I live on a 63-acre avocado ranch," he told Good Housekeeping. "So I like to get outside and work on the farm, from fixing roads to clearing brush."
"I hate going to the gym, so sweating outdoors sure beats sitting on a stationary bike staring at my navel. And I work cheaper than anyone I could hire to do it."
Other amenities
The home aso has a tennis court, a pool, and golf green, making it the perfect place for Tom to return to after a day on set.
Before purchasing the Spanish colonial-style home in 1988, Tom lived part-time in a Los Angeles apartment that featured a rustic, hunters lodge aesthetic. He bought the 1,800 square foot home after he grew tired of staying in hotels in LA while on breaks from filming Magnum, P.I. in Hawaii.
According to Architectural Digest, his apartment contained a slew of stylish touches like pipe racks, polo mallets, Persian carpets and yew and walnut cabinetry.
The star rarely had time to spend in the lavish apartment, due to his intense filming schedule on the hit show. "You can see how much time I have for entertaining," he joked to the publication, pointing out the full bottles of whisky left over.
"That's not a complaint, because it's probably the best job I'll ever have," he added. "Still, a steady diet of [long work days] isn't healthy, because you're surrounded by people constantly telling you you're wonderful."
